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| 02.03.2017 | 16:54

President Juncker presented the White Paper of the European Commisison on the future of Europe

The President of the Europea Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, presented yesterday at the plenary session of the Parliament the "White Paper on the future of Europe." As previously announced in the State of the Union speech 2016, the White Paper is the Commission's contribution to the debate ahead of the European Summit to be held in Rome on March 25 on the occasion of celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Treaties of Rome.

President Juncker presented the White Paper of the European Commisison on the future of Europe

In the White Paper, the Commission identifies five possible scenarios that could take place between now and 2025 with reference to the major drivers of change that the Union will have to face (from the impact of new technologies on society and jobs to the doubts about globalization, security concerns and the rise of populism):

- Scenario 1: Carrying On - The EU27 focuses on delivering its positive reform agenda in the spirit of the Commission's New Start for Europe from 2014 and of the Bratislava Declaration agreed by all 27 Member States in 2016.

- Scenario 2: Nothing but the Single Market – The EU27 is gradually re-centred on the single market as the 27 Member States are not able to find common ground on an increasing number of policy areas.

- Scenario 3: Those Who Want More Do More – The EU27 proceeds as today but allows willing Member States to do more together in specific areas such as defence, internal security or social matters. One or several "coalitions of the willing" emerge.

- Scenario 4: Doing Less More Efficiently - The EU27 focuses on delivering more and faster in selected policy areas, while doing less where it is perceived not to have an added value. Attention and limited resources are focused on selected policy areas.

- Scenario 5: Doing Much More Together – Member States decide to share more power, resources and decision-making across the board. Decisions are agreed faster at European level and rapidly enforced.

The White Paper marks the beginning of the process that will bring the 27 EU Member States to decide on the future of the Union. To foster the debate on this issue the Commission, the Parliament and interested Member States in the coming months will engage in a series of debates organized in cities and regions across the Union in order to ensure the widest possible participation.

In order to feed the discussion, the Commission has undertaken to present this year a series of reflection papers on: